Archives for February 2, 2018

‘The referees whistled Sabres center Johan Larsson for the most flagrant foul in KeyBank Center. After an extended pushing and trash-talking session between Buffalo’s Jake McCabe and Florida’s Vincent Trocheck, Larsson cross-checked Trocheck in the side of the jaw.’

‘We’re at the point of the season where the natives are throwing up their hands and not bothering anymore. Tickets are flying around StubHub for $6, and you want to hand out crying towels to the poor season subscribers who have performed a complete money flush yet again this season.’

‘”I thought it was pretty even right off the bat and then penalties killed us,” Johnson said. “From the first period on we were just chasing. I thought we responded in the second and third with a good push when we had the puck. It was just, we took a lot of penalties in the first and it killed us.”‘

‘“It’s been rocky,” Beaulieu said of his play. “I still know what I’m capable of. I still believe in myself, which is the biggest thing. Once I get back out there and bring some games together, not a doubt in my mind I’ll be back to playing Nathan Beaulieu hockey.”’

‘Yandle took exception to Kane’s hit, accusing the forward of “kind of running around and being stupid.” Kane defended himself by saying he couldn’t have avoided Barkov, who was already falling backward. “I didn’t really see them,” Kane said.’

‘Barring the ability to win games singlehandedly for the Sabres, Eichel has been everything Buffalo could have asked for this season. After two seasons of playing second fiddle to Ryan O’Reilly as the Sabres’ top center, Eichel has taken the mantle this season. He has a higher average ice time than any other Buffalo forward, skates more even-strength ice time than any other Sabres center, logs top minutes on the power play and contributes in a secondary role to the penalty kill. And while he’s been somewhat sheltered in terms of where he starts his shifts, Eichel hasn’t been given easy minutes. Only Evander Kane has faced tougher competition among Buffalo forwards.’